May Bird and the Endless Night
by Lucy Furr
Summary: (Takes place after the first few chapters of book 3, basically an alternative book 3) Three years ago, a ten year old girl named May Bird went to the land of the dead, but came back alive. Now, she's a much different girl. She hasn't thought much about the Ever After in the last three years, that is until she's summoned back.
1. Chapter One - Back to the Ever After

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN MAY BIRD OR ANY OF IT'S CHARACTERS, ALL RIGHTS GO TO JODI LYNN ANDERSON**

**Plot: (Takes place after the first few chapters of book 3, basically an alternative book 3) Three years ago, a ten year old girl named May Bird went to the land of the dead, but came back alive. Now, she's a much different girl. She hasn't thought much about the Ever After in the last three years, until she's summoned back.**

**Edit: Completely revised, I posted this up a while ago and it was chopped full of grammar mistakes. I fixed most of them, but I might have missed a few.**

* * *

I'm standing on my roof, the snow whizzing around, landing in my long, black hair. I've let it grow out, I'm not really entirely sure why. My brown eyes scan the horizon and I look out to the woods, where I would play as a child.

I smile, remembering those fond memories of running through the woods as a warrior princess, getting entirely lost in my own little world. I also emerged from those woods three years ago, returning from the land of the dead: The Ever After. Of course, no one believes I really went there. . . but I know I did.

My mind begins to wander to thoughts of the Ever After. What about my friends? I left them behind. Are they OK?

Somber Kitty rubs his bald head against my jean clad legs. I shake my head and sigh. I hadn't given much thought to the Ever After in a while, until earlier tonight.

_"We need you..." _That mysterious phone call, the voice sounded exactly like Pumpkin. I hug the death shroud tighter around my shoulders. I hold Somber Kitty in my arms, who was also wearing his shroud. He nuzzles into my chest.

I stare up at the clouds, the wind blowing my tears across my face. I unconsciously take a step forward, only to slip and fall off the roof. I don't feel anything as I land on the ground, so I must not be hurt.

I sit up, rubbing the back of my head.

"Meow" Kitty must be lost in the snow.

I scoot on my knees to look for him, only to realize there is no snow. My head snaps up.

There is no front lawn. There is no White Moss Manor.

Where am I? I peer around, we're in the woods. I can see the clearing where the lake used to be. . . where the lake _is. _

I stand up, looking for Kitty. Only to find him standing by an open door-way that stood in the middle of thin air. He is floating, eerily translucent. His death shroud was working. I look down and notice mine is as well.

We aren't in the woods behind my house... we are in in the woods on the other side.

Could this be real? I walk towards the door that is open by just a crack. I turn and look back at the lake, remembering the water demon lurking in it's depths. But now nothing stirred.

Looking back at the door, which used to be locked and could only be opened by a secret knock, I bite my thumbnail.

I pick kitty up in my arms and make my way towards the door. I remember the old movie theater that showed an old video explaining what was happening, welcoming spirits to the Ever After.

To my shock, all the seats are empty, the whole place is abandoned looking (more than before, at least). There is a poster plastered across the old movie screen.

"Welcome to The Ever After," I read breathlessly, "where everything is organized, and you never have to worry about anything, because nothing means very much."

I hesitate for a moment, then go farther down the hall, a sickly feeling in my stomach. The immense beach is the same as I remember; an endless stretch of sandy shore, with rowboats docked along it's edges waiting to take the newly deceased to far-off destinations all over the realm.

But the beaches no longer bustled with thousands of newly dead souls, in fact, I'm the only one here. The shore is deserted.

I turn to look back at where I came from, but now there is only a brick wall where the exit had been, marked with big red letters reading "You'll never get out again, have a nice day. BO CLEEVIL IS NUMBER ONE!"

I know from experience there was no going backward. But now, without Pumpkin here to guide me like before, I don't know how to go forward.


	2. Chapter Two - Pumpkin's Grave

**So, after like a million kajillion months I'm finally making chapter 2. I'm surprised this actually got a couple favs and reviews. Tbh, I thought NO ONE read May Bird, which sucks because I love it. Anyway, this fandom needs to start making sum fanfics. Like, now. Sorry if this sucks, it should get better as time goes on; the first 10k ALWAYS is horrible for me because I try to get the plot going. Sorry if there's any mistakes in tenses. I'm used to writing past tense, but I need practice writing present. Starting off, it's just like the third book, but it'll change, I swear. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own May Bird or any of it's characters.**

* * *

I've been standing on the beach for what seems to be hours. The place is eerily calm. So much has changed. I haven't seen any sign of life (death?) around at all. What happened while I was gone? How did I even get here?

I'm snapped from my thoughts as I hear something in the distance.

"Hblhblllbggl?"

"Hgglhlg."

Ghouls. I hug my death shroud tightly around myself as I look around for an escape. I can only think of one place to go. I quickly turn around and dash toward the nearest boat. I grab Kitty in my arms and got in before pushing off. I look back and see the ghouls standing on the beach. There must be ten of them.

They spot me before I have a chance to duck again, but there's nothing they can do about it now. I try to get them out of my mind as the boat pushes onward; passing a sign that reads _Belle Mort, 1,300,017 Miles._

* * *

I can't believe I'm back in the Ever After. I didn't think I'd be here again for a long time. I just need to find Pumpkin and the others. The only problem is I have no idea _where _they could be. I guess I'll just have to look everywhere, starting with Belle Mort.

Kitty nuzzles into my leg and I scratch his ears. Luckily I have him to keep me company. It doesn't take long for us to arrive in Belle Mort, thankfully.

On the horizon, gray houses could be seen. I smile and scoop Kitty up into my arms as the boat crashes ashore. Last time I was here, the whole town was in uproar over a 'live one' being here, as the dead have an exaggerated fear of us.

I walk along and am shocked to see doors ajar and abandoned carriages. _Here too? _I think as I peer into each house. Last time I was here, the streets had been filled with happy spirits, going about daily lives. Now, it was completely deserted. Everyone's gone. Did everyone just up and leave?

"Euughhhh" I hear a distant moan. Now zombies? Great.

I look around and spot an old Victorian looking bicycle and hop on after dumping Kitty in the basket. I wobble trying to balance on the floating bicycle but quickly recover and speed off. Within a few minutes the town is just a distant spot on the horizon.

* * *

The Beehive House stood alone in the middle of the sand, perfectly intact and peaceful. I breathe a sigh of relief and stop the bike, climbing off and dumping it to the side. I make my way around front a freeze as I see the door wide open.

"Meay?"

I slowly walk towards the door, Somber Kitty at my heels.

"Hello?" I call and my voice echoes throughout the house. I step in and sigh.

"Oh." No one's here. Now I really don't know where to go. Last time I was here, it was a cozy place inhabited by a beekeeper named Arista. Pumpkin had been his servant, but not a very skillful one. The place is in chaos, books and papers scattered across the floor. I walk through the kitchen, stepping over the over turned chairs and make my way to the study. Maps are ripped apart and the globe is cut straight down the middle.

Not much is intact, but I look through the mess for anything useful. Under a few brochures I see some issue of the _Daily Boos. _The headlines glow green as I pick up the tattered papers.

**Take Over By Dark Spirits Scares All**

**Hope Of Salvation By Living Girl Dashed By Her Disappearance**

**THOUSANDS OF SPIRITS VANISH**

**Reporter Vanishes After Investigating Missing Spirits**

The next article is blank. My grip tightens on the paper, slightly ripping the edges. I scan the papers again, hoping to find something on the Lady of the North, but my attempts get me nowhere. I angrily throw them onto the floor in a childish fit of frustration. What am I supposed to do now? I leave the study and make my way to the guest bedroom, where I spent my first night in the Ever After three years ago, scared and confused. The bed is torn up; linen sheets ripped apart and pillows lying against the closet door. Somber Kitty leaped up on the bed, snuggling up into the tattered remains.

I walk through the kitchen again and gasp as I see something. I turn around and am relieved to see that I was just my reflection in the mirror. Tall, lanky, long haired, and disheveled, I look far different from the little ten year old girl who found her way into the Ever After years ago. Then, I hadn't known about Bo Cleevil at all, or ghouls and zombies, for that matter. I remember being terrified of Pumpkin, I hadn't even known he had been haunting my house my whole life, watching me, coming through his grave every night to haunt my home.

"Pumpkin's grave." I say to myself and bolt out the door and run around to the garden. His grave wasn't hard to find, it stands in a corner of the small garden. The gray slab had his name engraved at the top, but that's it. I give it a small shove and peer inside. A black lump sits in the corner and I instantly grab it.

My silver bow and arrows fall out onto the ground. An ear splitting grin erupts across my face. Pumpkin knew I was coming back. I gather the arrows and shove them back into the bag. Not knowing what else to do, I go back inside. I shuffled though maps, looking for one intact. I see glowing red letters and pause as they fade onto the once blank paper.

**If you are reading this, you have come back to the Ever After. Not unexpected in the slightest. I know all and see all. I'm watching you, little speck. **

There was no signature, only glowing red eyes. Boo Ceevil. He knows I'm here. How long has this note been here? Days? Weeks? Years? How long has Boo Ceevil been anticipating my arrival? What happened to Arista and Pumpkin? Had the ghouls taken them? What about the others? Fabio? Beatrice? Lucius?

Tears prickle my eyes and I sigh. What should I do? Where should I go?

I shake my head and look for maps. No tears. I'm a big girl, I can handle it.

"Meay?"

"I'm fine, Kitty." I say, trying to reassure myself more than anything.

After ten or so minutes of searching, I find a map. It's not very detailed and seems rather dated, but it'll have to do. I grab some random supplies from around the house and head out. I turn around to face the Beehive House one last time. Here being my journey. Again.

* * *

**OK, here is where it begins being AU. In the book, May goes to the Pit of Despair after seeing a secret message written in dust on the ceiling. Yeah, not happing here. I hope you all like it, and I'll try to get chapter three out in a timely manner. (Anyone have any ideas that might be helpful?)**


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